Birds of Andalucia Autumn 2015 Volume four, issue Four Autumn Bird Migration in Cyprus Cerro Alto Mountains A year in the drylands - Almeria The Quarterly editorial journal of the andalucia bird society 1 . In this issue.... Front Cover Photograph Photo courtesy: Notice Board 2 Stephen Powell Vice President Peter’s Review From Brenda - Editor Autumn has arrived, migration of soaring birds It is always a special moment, when those of Important dates for your diary 3 Audouin’s Gull a has been spectacular and continues as I write this us involved with the magazine, see yet another familiar bird on ABS August Field Meeting piece. Also some of our winter birds are arriving edition successfully completed. I would like to 4 the Meditterranean thank all the contributors of the articles, and we coast. 50 years ago and an early date for me was my first Ring Ouzel The cycle of Autumn bird migration in Cyprus 8 it was one of the in the Libar valley on the 21st September! The hope that you will enjoy reading them. Thank world’s rarest gulls Society is continuing to progress with increasing you very much to all our advertisers too, as your Cerro Alto Mountain 10 with a population of membership and raising of our profile here and contribution is greatly appreciated. We have less than 1,000 pairs. A year in the drylands - Almeria beyond Andalucia. Our Field Meetings seem to discussed the possibility of including a couple 12 It is still classified as of regular features in future editions, maybe a rare with numbers grow in popularity and are well attended by our Nature in Focus 14 exceeding c.10,000 members. I would like to thank Frank Hair for his piece on bird identification for the more difficult pairs. species, what do you all think? Let us know. Playing Hide and Seek with Doña Ana 16 efforts in organising these meetings, so enjoyed Audouin’s Gull by us all. Also it is a pleasure to welcome 4 new My local Patch - La Cala Coastal Path Ichthyaetus audouinii Committee members to our number John Brooks, 18 Lindsay Pheasant, Jerry Laycock and Derek Membership Secretary Bob writes... Etherton. Linda Roberts will soon be returning to Since the last issue we have gained a further take up residence in the UK and I thank Linda for affiliated member and a good number of joint ABS Photographic Competition - Summary of Judge Commentary her efforts during her time on the Committee, she and ordinary members. One of the attractions The winner of the ABS Autumn 2015 photo competition is Stephen Powell. All three members of the jury had brought a level head to proceedings and always of my position is that I get to meet some, or agreed on the number one picture, that of Audouin’s Gull. This picture stood out for a number of reasons; proved so willing with helping progress the Society, indeed most, of these new members at the the lighting on the subject was excellent and despite the bird being predominantly white there was a warmth thank you Linda. Another exciting development is following field visits and it is always a pleasure to introduce them to the Society and its members. to the overall colour temperature of the picture. The technical aspect of the picture was also first class with our proposal to ‘adopt’ La Esperanza Salt Pans and sharp focus and an appropriate shutter speed to capture the bird in flight. Finally the movement of the bird, La Covacha Island as the Society’s conservation I mention affiliated members in particular as many are owners of hotels or hostals offering the background and the composition of the picture gave the whole image a wow factor, which impressed project, see a report on our Field Meeting on Page the judges. The complete Jury report with the numbers 2 and 3 can be found on our website, as well as a accommodation for the benefit of our members 4. We will be reporting more on this project in the “slideshow” of all other entries. on our widespread field visits. This is much January magazine and feature regular articles and We hope all photographers (and aspiring photographers) among our membership, will continue sending in appreciated by the officers and members of updates for this great effort to restore breeding their best photographs. We appreciate your entries and of course the winner ensures we grace our magazine the society and we would certainly encourage areas for Spoonbills and much more besides. cover with superb portraits of our birds. other providers of accommodation to make The final date for entry is 15th of December 2015. The decision of the judges will be final and there will be no discussion Please be aware that when you go out on a field contact with the Society and join us to our of the decisions with the entrants. The rules of the Photographic Competition can be found on our website meeting, or birding on your own, that there are mutual advantage. Affiliated members receive some desperate people out there wanting to rob three copies of this magazine, in addition to you. Be very careful, and try not to leave anything all other benefits of membership, so always an visible in the car. If you have to leave anything in opportunity to pass on details to our Society to the boot, try and put it there without anyone seeing guests. Why not join us today? Important dates for your diary you do it. Attendance of all Field Meetings and meetings are free to members of Andalucia Bird Society. October 24th, Saturday. Odiel Marshes Nature Reserve. The reserve is the second largest wetland in Huelva Province after the Doñana and the most important tidal wetland in Spain. Meet at the visitor Centre car park Officers of ANDALUCIA BIRD SOCIETY: 09.30hrs. President: Alfredo Carrasco Vice President: Peter Jones Treasurer: Luis Alberto Rodriguez Secretary: Helen Wallbank Membership Officer: Robert Wright Field Meeting Officer: Frank Hair Editor: Brenda Jones Other Committee Members: Pieter Verheij, John Brooks, Lindsay Pheasant, Jerry November 21st, Saturday. Llanos de Libar behind the village of Montejaque. Meet at Venta La Vega on the Laycock and Derek Etherton main Ronda to Sevilla road A372 at the junction for the MA 505 at 09.30hrs. To learn more about the society’s activities visit our website: www.andaluciabirdsociety.org December 12th Saturday. Our annual Xmas lunch and also some birding in the Alta Genal valley. Meet at the Advertising 2015 Membership Fees Contact us Garage on the main Ronda - San Pedro Road near to the junction for Cartajima 10.00hrs. AndaluciaContact Birdus Society SpainContact the Society for advertisement 1/4Ordinary page € 45 € 25 ApartadoAndalucia de Bird Correos Society 375 E-mail:1/4 page [email protected] € 45 1/2Joint page € 80 € 30 29400Apartado Ronda de (Málaga)Correos 375 Advertising1/2 page € 80 FullAffiliated page € 140 € 40 Please see the Forum for more details and any changes a few days before each meeting. Let us know via the Full page € 140 BackJunior page € 180 € 10 Spain29400 Ronda (Málaga) Contact the Society for advertisement Forum if you are attending any of these meetings, as we need to know numbers beforehand. E-mail: [email protected] Back page € 180 Life € 300 2 3 Little Terns, Flamingos, White Storks, and other species feed on. And, speaking of ABS August Field Meeting food, we moved on to the old farmstead El Boli/ Salarte building for our lunch. Juan Martín introduced us to Juan and Juan Martín Bermúdez described the regeneration work the Salarte NGO Ricardo, brothers who are responsible are undertaking in the Bay of Cadiz in his article in the Summer 2015 ABS for managing the sluice gates and maintaining the containing walls, keeping magazine. This is the story of our fascinating visit to: out the ocean. Affectionately called “Los Machaca”, Juan Martín called them the La Esperanza salt pans and La Covacha Island stars of the project, sending in daily reports of the birds seen (thus alerting the University to when they can ring the I recently had a memorable morning in the archaeological museum in Nicosia, Cyprus, as a wonderfully knowledgeable and birds) and the details of the fish they catch enthusiastic guide breathed life and spirit into the ancient statues and Grecian urns. An hour into the meeting at La Esperanza on La Covacha Island (which include I realised I was in for another memorable day as Juan Martín breathed life and spirit into the salt pans, set amongst scrub among other species oysters, sea bream, and water channels, and which one sea bass, sole, and shellfish). Los Machaca could easily overlook if it weren’t for were also stars in our eyes as they arrived the way he brought to life the workings with drinks and plates of cheese, sausage of the salt pan. Demetrio, who has and other goodies - a quite unexpected been manually working this salt pan and very much appreciated lunch. While for 10 years, with the seasonal help of we sat inside - a welcome respite from the 2 workers, demonstrated how the salt Levante winds (the sailors amongst us thought was “great, but will I feel sea- and repair any breaches in the walls. is raked by hand into piles (varachas). disputed whether the gales gusted at force sick?”. I later realised I wouldn’t, because La As we anchored ourselves on the roof of The finest salt forms a crust at the 8 or 10; the rest of us just felt them as gales!) Covacha is a salt marsh island in a virtual the Salarte building Juan Martín showed top of the pile during the day and has - we admired / bought the Salarte t-shirts lagoon, in the Bay of Cadiz.